Incident Response

Incident response (IR) is a structured approach to addressing and managing the aftermath of security incidents and data breaches. The primary goal of incident response is to reduce the impact of an incident and minimize recovery time and costs. It involves a coordinated effort to detect, respond to, mitigate, and recover from security incidents in a systematic and efficient manner. VFC has become an integral tool in IR investigations and listed below are key aspects of how:

• Data Acquisition: VFC Portable and other Digital forensic software facilitates collecting and preserve digital evidence from affected systems. Running a scan on suspect devices with digital forensic software accomplishes this data acquisition. Acquired data may include files, P2P, Cryptocurrency, cloud storage, user login events, anti-forensic traces, saved credentials, USB history, user connection logs, browsing history, memory dumps, and system artifacts. Analysis of this evidence is essential for research, investigation, and potential legal proceedings
   
• Eradication: After containing the incident, the focus shifts to eliminating the root cause or vulnerabilities that allowed the incident to occur in the first place. This may involve patching systems, removing malware, and improving security configurations. VFC can create a VM sandbox allowing an investigator to carry these investigations safely and securely. Malware Analysis: Attackers often use malware to attack systems. VFC and the Inject Files feature can install Digital forensic software that aids in analysing and dissecting malicious software (malware) used in cyber espionage campaigns. Forensic software identifies malware's nature, functionality, and origins, providing vital intelligence on attackers' techniques. Analysis of malware helps to eradicate the malware from the affected systems and prevent further damage.
  VFC can also be used in Memory capture analysis in both live and deadbox enquiries by creating a .vmem file when generating a VM
   
• Documentation: Detailed records of the incident, response actions, and outcomes are maintained for legal, compliance, and auditing purposes. VFC can be used to snapshot the various steps to aid this process, and can assist with reporting, interviews and in court room presentations, providing understandable visual presentations for non IT experts very technical aspects of a enquiry.

Incident response teams typically include a range of professionals with expertise in cybersecurity, digital forensics, legal, and communication. They work together to swiftly and effectively address security incidents to minimize harm to the organization and its stakeholders. Incident response is a critical component of a robust cybersecurity strategy, as it helps organizations mitigate risks, protect sensitive data, and maintain business continuity in the face of security threats and incidents. 

VFC has become one of the Go to tools that form part of an IR Toolkit